Below my short version of R.A.Gassers growing conditions on S.W. Linden Street, Stuart, Florida.

I visited Bob & Marjorie in July 1980 for 3 whole days. I have not had time to check my old correspondance for addtional information.

The enclosed pictures (see at the page) show his tank T-82 and the plant grown there which is a C. cordata. The pictures were taken by Bob 1n 1978 and were sent to me.

Their house was built on a ground consisting of coral sand and water was obtained from a well-boring. It had a high pH (>8 ?) and calcium carbonate was precipitated on the leaves of the Cryptocoryne. The water was more or less constantly (?) dripping from the water tap - no doubt contributing with minerals and carbon dioixide.

The "soil" in the tanks was sheep manure (pebbles) mixed with sand, and on top covered with white sand - alltogether 10 cm (?). I cannot recall any other fertilizer having been added.

The tanks were built on the spot and laid over the lawn, and maybe more than 50 in number. The construction can be seen on the picture - where the shade has been removed. They were built of cement bloks and the whole thing measuring perhaps 1.0 X 2 m (There were also some smaller tanks, and also aquaria in a shed (?)). The big tanks were shaded by shade screens made of wood as I recall.

Niels Jacobsen, Copenhagen, Denmark
February 10, 2003